Two walk-in centres in Bury are set to close as commissioners seek to redirect the resources into a wider urgent care plan.
The move was confirmed at a board meeting of Bury Clinical Commissioning Group yesterday. There has been a high profile campaign to save the Bury and Prestwich walk-in centres, with more than 2,000 people signing a petition.
The CCG said the services would not be part of its plans due to fewer patients attending the centres over an 18 month period; the centres seeing a large number of non-Bury residents; and a need to use resources elsewhere in the future urgent care system.
It also said there are new services that replicate those in the walk-in centres, and evidence that a large number of patients could have been treated for their low level illnesses and conditions by other means including pharmacists.
The new urgent care model will consist of: the NHS 111 signposting and advice line; evening and weekend appointments with GPs and practice nurses; a bespoke wound care service in six locations; and new standards that are delivered by GPs to ensure that poorly under 12s are given an appointment the same day.
Bury has been part of a pilot scheme extending access to GP services during evenings and weekends.
The Bury centre will close at the end of March, while the Prestwich facility will close in September.
Source
CCG statement
Source date
18 January 2017
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